Bowel Cleaning & Colon Cleansing

Bowel cleaning and colon cleansing are interchangeable terms for alternative medical practices that purport to remove nonspecific toxins and excess fecal matter from the colon and from the lining of the intestinal walls. There is little clinical evidence to verify the efficacy of colon cleansing, or to verify whether colon cleansing is even necessary.

Colon Cleansing Theory

The theory of colon cleansing has its basis in the theory of autointoxication. According to Quackwatch, the theory of autointoxication involves the idea that fecal matter can accumulate along the lining of the large intestine over long periods of time. This accumulation of fecal matter provides a breeding ground for unspecified toxins and bacteria that can contribute to an individual's poor health.

Autointoxication Disproved

Autointoxication was disproved by scientific observations between 1919 and 1922, according to Quackwatch. A 1919 paper from the Journal of the American Medical Association, referenced by Live Science, suggests that there is no clinical evidence to support the theory of autointoxication.

Misattributed Symptoms

Symptoms such as fatigue, headache, irritability and loss of appetite that alternative medical theory attributes to autointoxication can be the result of distention within the bowel or expansion of the colon if accompanied by medical issues with an individual's digestive system, according to Live Science. There is no medical evidence to support the theory that excess food or organic matter accumulates or putrefies within the colon after defecation, according to Live Science.

Weakening of the Bowels

According to the article "Health 'Facts' You Only Thought You Knew" in The New York Times, the colon cleanses itself naturally and does not accumulate decaying matter. Frequent colon cleansing treatments may weaken the bowels and cause a patient to become dependent on enemas in order to have a bowel movement, according to the American Council on Science and Health.

Hydrotherapy Hazards

Colon hydrotherapy involves injecting liquids into the colon through the rectum to flush out fecal matter and unspecified toxins according to the disproved theory of autointoxication. Hazards associated with colon hydrotherapy can include improper insertion of the enema tube that can result in perforation of the gastrointestinal tract, according to The Medical Journal of Australia. Improperly sterilized enema equipment can also contribute to infection.